Out Gülenists in politics: Opposition parties to government

ANKARA

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The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) have called on the Turkish government to reveal the political wing of the Fethullahist Terror Organization (FETÖ), while criticizing the release of “influential persons,” referring to Istanbul Metropolitan Mayor Kadir Topbaş’s son-in-law Ömer Faruk Kavurmacı, who was previously detained.

“Look at this, there are no politicians accused of being FETÖ members,” MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli said on May 23 at a meeting with party members in parliament. “There is no need to confuse people and protect influential persons in the fight against FETÖ,” he said.

He stressed that authorities should not avoid bringing people to account because of their familial ties. 

Kavurmacı was arrested as part of an operation against the Turkish Confederation of Businessmen and Industrialists (TUSKON), which was affiliated with FETÖ, before being released by the Istanbul Fifth Criminal Court of Peace on the grounds that prison conditions were having a negative effect on his health. Kavurmacı was diagnosed with epilepsy in 2005.

Bahçeli, however, agreed with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s remarks over the fight against FETÖ during the ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) extraordinary congress, where he said he would not be merciful, even if his closest relatives acted treacherously.

“We consider this attitude encouraging and extremely appropriate. Because of the size of the threat, we find it positive and right to call on everybody to combat FETÖ,” Bahçeli said.


CHP dubious over arrests 

Speaking about the same issue, CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu told his party lawmakers in parliament that the absence of politicians in the coup probe was a “miracle.”
 
“They have found chocolatiers, tradespeople, businesspeople, judges, officers, governors, prosecutors and soldiers as FETÖ members. They have found everybody, but not a single politician. What a miracle,” he said. 

“Why do you even attempt a coup? To rule the country right? Who would have ruled this country if they did the coup? Where is the political leg of this coup? They are hiding the political leg. Why the people who have personally witnessed the coup have not come and did not give information to the parliamentary commission? So that the coup would not be revealed,” he said.

Reading excerpts from President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s earlier statements about the cooperation between the AKP and the Gülenist movement, Kılıçdaroğlu stressed that prosecutors should consider these as confession on the partnership between the two sides. 

“It’s you who is the political leg,” Kılıçdaroğlu said, adding that the AKP had harbored Gülenists for many years.